On Thursday, July 6 and Thursday, July 13, completion ceremonies were held for 26 AIMS students from Thailand and Indonesia who studied at Ritsumeikan in spring 2017. There were a total of 40 participants who attended these events, including Japanese students who will soon study abroad in Thailand or Indonesia, the Resident Mentor of a shared apartment, and faculty members.

The ceremony at Osaka Ibaraki Campus began with remarks from Associate Professor Yusuke Toyoda from the College of Policy Science, who then presented a completion certificate to each student. Next, the representative for the AIMS students gave a short address about what he learned and achieved at Ritsumeikan while looking back on various memories and adventures, and expressed his gratitude for the support he received while studying abroad. The students also gave a performance with guitars and violins during the ceremony.

The ceremony at Kinugasa Campus began with congratulatory remarks from Professor Ryoji Nakagawa from the College of International Relations, after which he presented completion certificates to the international students. The AIMS representative gave a short speech about what she noticed and learned during her time in the program and the many unforgettable memories, occasionally mixing in phrases in Japanese.

The completion ceremony at each campus was followed by a reception, where the students enjoyed their final moments with each other amidst the sadness of parting.

In fall 2017, 24 students from Ritsumeikan will study abroad in Thailand and Indonesia. We hope they use their achievements and connections with Thai and Indonesian students to make the most out of their study abroad experiences.